


Changers

by BaysBooks



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Hannibal Big Bang, Hannibal Cooks, Multi, Murder, Shapeshifting, Someone Help Will Graham, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-16 16:12:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8108920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaysBooks/pseuds/BaysBooks
Summary: A Beast was killing again.Savage murders where parts of the victims are consumed by carrion birds. Some of the recent victims have had flesh and organs expertly removed. Huge black feathers found at each scene as if from a monstrous raven. The hunt for the newly turned shapeshifter is well underway.Beasts can be anyone, but not everyone can become the Beast.Will Graham is an expert in locating and catching such Beasts.  But maybe there is a reason for that? Is there a Beast roaming around just beneath the flesh? Can a strange foreigner and an orphan girl find that part of him and pull it free before it tears him apart?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly Unbetaed. I had fun writing and I hope you enjoy reading it. Chapters will be posted regularly until the whole story is up. It is taking a bit longer than anticipated however. That's life though.  
> Enjoying reading!  
> All of the words,   
> Bay

 

 

 

Thank you so much to <http://shoegazerx.tumblr.com/> for the amazing artwork! I love it so much. ♥

 

** Chapter One **

“You have a fever again,” Alana was never one to sugarcoat anything unless she was trying to get away with something. Which she wasn’t right now, at least, not that Will could see. But he was distracted by the new piece of jewelry she had around her neck, it was a silver plated pendant hanging from a leather cord, so he could be wrong about her hiding something. It looked like a horse.

“You shouldn’t wear that out around here, Alana, the last thing I need is to hear you’ve been robbed,” He said as he pulled away from her healing hands and laid back down on the mattress. Winston put his head on his hip again. The feeling of the dog’s breath on his bare skin made his skin feel strange to him. He buried his hand in Winston’s fur, it helped calm him.

“Of course, because that would be such an inconvenience for you,” Alana said stiffly as she rose from his bedside and walked back to the table to grab something from her kit. Her hands went to her neck though and when she turned around with a blue vial in her hands the pendent was tucked into her dress and out of sight. The leather cord blended in perfectly with the fabric around her collar. Will looked away quickly as she started back toward him.

“Drink this, it will bring the fever down,” She knelt by his side again and gently guided the now open vial to his lips.

It tasted like rainwater from a muddy ditch, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before he felt the relieving effects. Alana had the best medicines he had yet to come across. He could tell himself that was why he continued to ask for her help.

He was lucky to have her and even luckier to have been able to preserve some semblance of a friendship since their failed foray into the logical “next step”. It had been weeks before she could stand to come near him, and now she was willingly alone with him. He tried to be as less threatening as possible. It wasn’t very hard to accomplish when his head was on fire. He was glad that she arrived when she had.

Still, he could tell she didn’t wait to linger in his company for much longer. And when she looked at him she didn’t dare look at him in the eye, she stared at his lips instead. Will couldn’t tell if it was in longing or in fear of what lay just beneath. Either option was equally disconcerting. Will was ready for her to leave too.

“I’ll be alright, Alana, you should go before it gets too late,” he said.

She turned to get her bag and reached for the candle snuffer.

“Leave the lights,” He said quickly, “I want to be able to see.”

“Get some sleep,” She said and then she left, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Will didn’t sleep right away, he watched the dancing light on the wall caused by the flickering candlelight. He would keep it burning all night if he had to. He was not ready to  find out what he could see in the darkness. 

 

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“How is he?”

The voice from the darkened alleyway made Alana jump causing mud to splatter the hem of her cloak.  When she realized who it was she knew she should not have been surprised.

“Jack, you know as well as I do that no matter how many times you ask the answer won’t change,” she replied, her voice calm despite her annoyance.

“Is it a fever again?”

Jack knew the right questions to ask, he was aware of what symptoms to watch for.

“Not a bad one, but yes. He needs rest not another murderer to hunt.” Alana said, almost pleading. She knew that her opinion mattered to Jack but it wasn’t enough. He used it only as a warning, a guideline to how far he could push Will before it might become too dangerous. It wasn’t a game to play but so far it had been a game Jack was good at. Or maybe he was just lucky, either way, he was fairly certain that he could do it again. Will could be used to save so many lives.

“This one needs to be caught, Alana. Sooner rather than later.”

“They all do, Jack, but that’s not the point. If you keep pushing Will like this he won’t be able to help anyone ever again, not even himself.”

“I know the risks Alana.”

“The risk isn’t to yourself so it’s okay to use Will until he breaks is that it?”

“Watch yourself, Alana,” Jack stepped forward from the darkness of the alley. He was a physically imposing man and though she knew logically he would never hurt her, it didn’t stop her from taking a step back. It was a reminder of who he was, what he had been through, and what he was willing to do to catch those responsible for such horror and death.

“At least give him until the morning, he could use some rest.”

“Take care, Alana,” Was all Jack said before he turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Alana took it as a good sign that Jack was headed away from Will’s place while she herself hurried home. She knew the kind of things Will would most likely see in the coming weeks. She had seen him through the last time and she would see him through this time. How could she not? Will had a way of making her feel like she couldn’t let go, that she shouldn’t, even after everything. She no longer wanted him, not in that way. She couldn’t let go, even if all the while she was with him there was someplace else she’d rather be.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Will slept fitfully, but that wasn’t unusual. The smell of blood that woke him was. His mouth also tasted like it. He had bit his tongue in his sleep, again. He sat up and cleared his throat and then forced down a swallow.

But his was not the only blood that he smelled. Someone was at the door, and he knew who it was before the knock came.

“Go away, Jack,” Will said as loudly as he dared, his voice sounded strange, he cleared his throat

He stood up and walked the four strides to his kitchen where he drank straight from the tea kettle. The last few mouthfuls of the tea Alana had made the night before was cold and grainy. He vaguely recalled finally breaking the last of the teacups in a feverish stupor before Alana had come to his aid the night before.

“Do I want to know how you know it’s me?” Jack said from the other side of the door. He sounded casual enough, but Will knew that Jack was doing his best to guage Will, to see how far he could push. Will was well aware of this fact, and he thought it smart that Jack figure it out while there was still a door between them.

“Lucky guess, now go away,” Will grumbled, not a hope that Jack would actually listen to him.

“If it’s really that bad I can leave,” Jack said, but his voice was devoid of promise. Will knew that either way, Jack wouldn’t leave. He would make sure that Will was okay.

“But, this one is bad, really bad,” A pause, “We found feathers at the scene.”

“Feathers?” Will scoffed, “Are we looking for some pigeon toting peasants with bad attitudes?”

“Giant feathers, Will.”

“No.”

Will put the tea kettle down. The dried blood on his lips left an imprint of red on the yellowing ceramic.

“We think it’s another Hobbs,” Jack started saying through the door just when Will opened it.

Will stood shirtless on the other side and Jack couldn’t help but notice the dried blood on his chin. He had his dog at his side, not bolting out the door, but standing guard. It’s like he could tell that Will was close to the edge.

“We could really use your help, Will. You know how ill equipped we are for this.”

He knew. He wished he didn’t. 

Will took a deep breath and regretted it immediately. Whatever dreams he had been having, his senses were still heightened and he knew that Jack had been to a crime scene recently. Just like he knew that Jack was at the door before he knocked.

Jack’s shoes had blood soaked into them. That alone told him what he could expect to see if he decided to go. He knew he might not be able to handle it. He knew it would cause him pain. 

He knew, but he could not tell him no.

“Give me five minutes,” Will said before he shut the door. He didn’t want to feel the smugness from Jack. The barrier of the door didn’t help.

Five minutes was enough time to take a piss, get dressed, and maybe wash his face. It wasn’t enough time to change his mind.

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He missed the forest already.

The sour smells of the town not quite up to date on its sanitation was bad enough without adding to the whole ordeal the rudeness of humans. Little more than pigs most of them, it just so happens that “little” bit more was a delight on the tongue. Though despite the smells and the bitterness of the air, the town was nearly untouched by war. The residents still healthy, mind and body, for the most part.

It was a ripe hunting ground, his for the taking. But he wasn’t looking for prey, he was looking for someone like him. A predator.

She had killed again. This time without him. He could not be sure of their safety now. He might not be able to keep her alive after all. A new beast roaming around unchecked spelled danger for the rest of them. He had almost risked it as far as he could. Almost.

He was not yet sure what he wanted to do about it. He had to find her first.

He already knew where the body was and he was planning to steer clear of it, that was until the scent hit him. The scent of another beast, an unfamiliar one.

It wasn’t uncommon to come across one of his kind, but in a town this size he had to be good at hiding himself.

Hannibal had always been careful when following his instincts and impulses. He had never been captured, though he had been suspected at one time or another. He had been more reckless in his youth. The trick was to maintain a balance between what he allowed people to see, and what he truly was.

He maybe should have kept going and continued to look for Abigail. But he felt a pull, a pull he wasn’t altogether unfamiliar with. He did not feel like ignoring it. Hannibal followed the scent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**   
  


The crime scene was a mess. Word had gotten out and the narrow streets surrounding them were crowded. To Will, it felt like there was no escape. He pulled his cloak a bit tighter around him, like it could protect him from the onslaught of sounds, smells, and feelings. He regretted getting out of bed already. He breathed slowly through his mouth and kept his eyes on Jack as they moved closer to the body.

Jack was not oblivious to his discomfort. Will rarely had to ask him for anything, Jack kept a close eye on him when they were out on a case. Will still wondered if it was for his benefit or for everyone else. Both, he guessed, there wasn’t really a third option.

“Jack, we need to move the body, people are starting to freak out,” Beverly Katz came over to report to her boss, she gave Will a small smile and nod. They had worked together before.

“Hold them back a while longer, Will needs space to work,”

Jack’s companions complied. They were good trackers, good constables, but none of them could quite do what WIll could. It made them suspicious, but that was their nature, it had to be in the profession they were in. Will made some of them uneasy and one in particular just very curious. Jack was their leader and they did what they were told, most days.

Today they wanted to catch this killer, this beast, just as much as Jack did.

Once the crowd thinned, Will started to finally feel the scene. Will could do this since before he could remember. He didn’t just look at the clues, the body, the surroundings, the way the blood was splattered against the side of the fountain, he could  _ feel _ it somehow. It washed over him in consistent waves, back and forth, revealing one thing after another, until he could picture himself there.

He focused on what the killer felt, what drove them to this. It was never just the beast inside of them, as most people wanted to believe, but the beast is what made them so capable of such devastation. It was the same thing inside of Will that gave him an edge in finding those that were out of control, and each time he opened up to a scene like this one, he felt closer and closer to being completely taken over.

He knew that one day it would happen. It was inevitable, like dying. It was like he was skipping along into the jaws of death, into the trap he could not escape. It was a very fine line. He wouldn’t know he had breached it until it was too late.

The body was draped over the edge of the fountain in the middle of the square. It looked like the killer had tried to place the body in the fountain but had given up and left in a hurry before someone noticed them.

Will could tell that the body had been placed in that position on purpose.

The person had died like that. They hadn’t been killed and mutilated somewhere else and then brought here. The body was still breathing before the transformation took place and the feeding began. The murderer had wanted their victim to feel that panic, to hear the sound of the water in the fountain. One last bit of music before all they could hear were their own screams.

There were gaping holes in the chest and abdomen, the heart and liver missing. The edges of the wounds were surprisingly clean, it was not teeth that made them, it was a beak. Even without the dark feathers floating in the fountain and drying in the blood on the cobblestone, it was glaringly obvious that it was another bird that did this. One that was far less kind than the one before it.

The victim was facing away from him, so Will carefully walked around the fountain. The man was in his forties or fifties and even with the twisted face, the blood oozing out of the mouth and nostrils and the dead eyes staring back at him it was a face he recognized even though he hadn’t known this man. It was a face that the killer recognized, one that they see, over and over again in their mind, like a bad dream on an endless loop. Will knew then that this wasn’t the first victim and it would not be the last.

The victim looked remarkably like Garrett Jacob Hobbs.  



	4. Chapter 4

Abigail had made a tremendous mess in the square, such a spectacle. The whole town seemed to be out to see what had happened, it made it easy for Hannibal to slip in between them mostly unnoticed. He only had to blend in with everyone who couldn’t bother to mind their own business.

He didn’t want to see the scene, he didn’t care about who she had killed,  and he was here for something definitely his business. He had not been counting on finding the changer he had scented huddled down in the center of the square by the fountain beside the butchered meat… alone.

His first thought was that it had to be a seasoned changer, like himself, someone who had been doing this since childhood, how else could he be so close without risking exposure? There were constables all around, all of them focused on keeping the crowd back. The leader of them was the only one with his eyes on the man by the fountain.

The more he watched the more he come to realize that the younger man was brand new. He was still trying to deny his nature, attempting to blend in, hiding.

Hannibal had a million questions for him already. All thoughts of Abigail moved to the back of his mind. She wouldn’t kill again so soon, he had time.

He knew already that it wouldn’t be enough.

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“What are we looking at here Will?”

Will stood up straight and backed away from the corpse as Jack stepped closer. Will looked away from the dead man in front of him and looked at the tracker carefully. It was obvious to Will that Jack was playing it too cool, he already had opinions of his own.

“You already know what I’m going to say Jack, so why did you bother to bring me here?”

“So you think it’s her too, don’t you?” Jack said, a triumph in his voice. There had been a thorn in Jack’s side about Abigail Hobbs since they learned of her existence and he was obviously pleased with the new lead. Will just felt tired.

“I do.” He hated to admit it, for some reason, it felt like a small betrayal. The carnage in front of him was a painful reminder of his failures.

“Another crow in less than half a year, what are the odds of that?” Jack shook his head in disbelief.

“A raven,” a stranger interrupted, his accent betrayed him as a foreigner.

“What difference does that make? Katz,  get him back behind the line,” Jack called out, but the stranger wasn’t listening, he was calm, glancing at Will and then looking back to Jack, he spoke quickly, confident in his words.

“If you look carefully at the feathers you can tell the difference and it’s quite a significant one when it comes to the rest of the bird. To start, they are, more aggressive and harder to kill and almost impossible to catch. If I may, I would like to offer my assistance,” He spoke firmly and so confidently that Jack had waved off the constables before he finished. Whatever he had to say, Jack wanted to hear it.

Will was less certain. He hadn’t even heard the man approach. He did not appreciate the surprise of it, his senses were already overwhelmed. Will focused on breathing through his mouth again, one slow breath after the other.

“And why would you want to do that?“ Jack asked, his suspicion still apparent, but he was clearly interested. Jack was always fairly open minded when it came to his investigative style. It was what made him a great tracker.

“Because I can and, more importantly, I want to,“ he extended his hand, “Hannibal Lecter.“

“Jack Crawford, welcome to the investigation, the faster we catch this one the better,” Jack said, shaking his hand.

Will was not surprised that Jack was accepting his help so soon, it didn’t mean that he had to be happy about it. He could feel the stranger’s gaze on him now, but he didn’t return it.

“William Graham, nice to meet you,” he said quickly and with a nod in Hannibal’s general direction, before he looked at Jack.

“Are we done here?” Will asked, his voice strained.

Jack looked at him giving him a quick once more before he nodded.

“We will get this place cleared and I will be by later to hear your thoughts on it. We can make a decision on what we should do next.”

Will had provided Jack with enough insight for now. They needed more information before they could go any further.

Will didn’t answer, he just nodded and turned. The faster he was in the darkness of his small home and away from the overwhelming smell of blood and people, the better.

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William Graham fled faster than a startled rabbit. A rabbit he had every intention of running down, one way or another. Hannibal pulled his attention back to what was in front of him. He put himself in this position, now he had ever intention of leaving it as soon as he could respectfully manage it.

“May I examine the scene?”

“Please, take your time,” Jack said, but by the way he looked over the growing crowd he really meant the opposite.

“I won’t be long,” Hannibal said and walked forward to stand where Will had stood.

He had overheard most of their conversation, despite the volume of the crowd. They already had some idea of who had done this. That fact did not surprise him, or worry him overmuch.

She had done a fantastic job of laying him out, like it was a gift to herself. Hannibal was glad to see it suddenly. Whatever irritation he had felt before fell away. She had given him opportunity today, albeit inadvertently. He did not want to waste it nevertheless.

“I am going to catch up with Mr. Graham, I want to pick his brain a bit more, we will see you shortly,” Hannibal said quickly, as Jack was speaking with one of his constables, distracted.

“Yes, I will be right behind you,” He said quickly and then got back to giving orders.

Hannibal started to push his way through the crowd, it was much harder to navigate out than it had been in, but even so, it was not long before he found what he was looking for.


	5. Chapter 5

He felt trapped, it didn’t matter which direction he turned there were no shortage of people. There was no shutting off his senses in a crowd so large. People who had noticed him by the fountain were yelling to him, demanding answers. Who was the victim? Was it a beast that did it? Should they board up their homes? Could it be a neighbor? What was keeping them safe?

Hands on him, pulling him back, pulling him down. He wrenched himself away from their suffocating grip and kept fighting through the crowd, he had get out, he needed air.

He wanted wings. Wings like the raven beast. A way to escape. He felt hot all of a sudden and he was about ready to throw his head back in a scream. Then there were hands on him again, only this time they were different, gentle and guiding him through the mob.

Will was safely lead to the other side of the crowd. He kept walking even when he was clear, through alleys, away from people. The hands fell away almost as soon as they made it out of the worst of it, but the presence was still there.

Will stopped in the shade of a shop just opening for the day and took a few deep breaths. After a minute he turned around to face the stranger, ready to explain himself, his reaction. He knew that someone would immediately think the worst. That he was crazy, deranged… turning. Trust was hard to find on a good day, let alone on a day a man had been found mutilated.

Hannibal looked indifferent, maybe even bored, and he spoke before Will had a chance to.

“Let’s go to the market, we can pick something up for breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” Will choked on the word, he coughed and then pulled his cloak tighter around him. He felt exposed, and even out of the crowd, he couldn’t shake the feeling.

“Yes, have you eaten yet today?” Hannibal asked sounding sincerely curious but Will felt like he already knew the answer. It was barely past dawn.

“I’m not hungry,” Will answered, and then started walking again. Hannibal stepped forward and matched his stride naturally.

“We have a beast to catch, we need to eat as well,” Hannibal said, and Will,  unable to help himself, immediately pictured the corpse again, and where the heart should have been.

Will found himself following Hannibal through the market. It was just opening and the crowds were probably still busy ogling the murder scene so it was relatively quiet. He nodded to a few of the kiosk owners, the ones he was a regular at, but Hannibal seemed to have a particular destination in mind. Despite the fact that he was obviously not from here, he seemed to know his way around. Either that or he was just very good at guessing his way. Will had the feeling though, that this man didn’t guess at anything.

Will found himself watching the older man. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why, but whatever the reason, it distracted him from the darkness of his other thoughts. He found it to be a welcome distraction. Watching him made Will Graham feel normal.

Will observed that the only places that Hannibal stopped at had the best of the best of ingredients. Most of what he purchased seemed frivolous to Will, all of it was so expensive. Some of the ingredients he didn’t even recognize, but Hannibal seemed pleased with everything. He chatted with the shopkeepers and explained to Will some of what he was planning. And he didn’t seem to mind that Will didn’t say much of anything. It was an unexpected relief.

It gave Will time to compose himself after the events in the square. And after a enough time he finally started to wonder why Hannibal was with him when he had offered his services to Jack to help with catching the raven beast.

“Why are you doing this?” Will asked, getting right to the point.

Hannibal paid for his latest order and turned to Will.

“I thought it was obvious that I was going to make us some breakfast?” He replied.

“Nothing you bought resembles anything like breakfast to me.”

“It will. Come, you can come back to my place so you won’t have a mess to clean.”

“I don’t have a kitchen,” Will confessed, even though he didn’t have to, He felt like he had to say something. He focused on that fact rather than think about Jack. It would be awhile before he had to meet the tracker. Clearing his head was never a bad idea, and in this case, it was severely needed.

“It’s just as well then, come on,” Hannibal said with a kind of chuckle, and Will followed him without further protest. He had the man’s attention, even if Will was just using him as a distraction. It would do, for now.

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Hannibal didn’t live far from Will, but he didn’t say anything as they entered the modest dwelling. It was much larger than Will’s place.  The first floor had a dining room, a kitchen and there was a door at the far end of the hall that Will guessed was a bedroom. A spiral staircase off of the dining room lead to a second floor.

It had a finite sense to it. It felt temporary, even though it was fully furnished and clean. Very clean. Will took a deep breath in out of habit, but there was nothing in the air that triggered him. For the moment, his nose was just a human nose. His fever was also gone.

For just a moment, Will let himself believe that he could actually do this. He could get through this case without risking his body and his mind. Just like the cases before. He let himself believe it,he willed himself to believe it and then forget, forget that with every case before this one… every dead body, he was closer and closer to an edge he would not be able to turn away from.

By the time Will focused back on Hannibal, the older man had removed his cloak and had already begun his work. He moved so fluidly around the small kitchen, it did not seem possible that this tall, toned man could fit so perfectly within the small space and make it look so natural. It was obvious he felt at home in the kitchen.

“I don’t do much cooking,” Will said lamely. He removed his cloak slowly, but kept a hold of it as he moved to stand in the kitchen. Will found himself fascinated, he could not stop watching Hannibal’s hands as he expertly started to prepare the ingredients.

Hannibal’s lips twitched with a hint of a smile and Will found himself staring at his lips instead. They were an interesting shape.

“Well, luckily for you William I prefer being the one in the kitchen.”

Will just nodded and then walked over to the window to look out at the unfamiliar view.

“Luck,” Will said quietly, “I guess that’s one word for it.”


	6. Chapter 6

It  didn’t take much for Will to go back to thinking about the scene he just escaped. As far as distractions went, Hannibal guessed that he had worn out his appeal as one for the time being. He was completely fine with that, he had other goals in mind.

Hannibal set the water to boil and then reached into his cellar for a bottle of wine. He opened it and poured two cups. He did all of this and Will did not turn.

Hannibal did not yet know if it was a good idea or a bad one, bringing the unchanged man back to his home. He was confident that Abigail wouldn’t be in a hurry to return just yet, and even if she did, Will would not know her for who she was, at least not right away. It was a risk that he had taken when Abigail had already risked enough for them both. Hannibal had decided to play the odds.

Will continued to stare out the window to the street beyond, completely lost in thought. Hannibal wanted to know what those thoughts were. He had every intention of drawing them out. He would get his answers, either in words or actions.

“Drink this,” Hannibal said, and Will took the wine automatically.

“It’s a bit early for wine,” Will reflected as he took a mouthful. He was expecting the vile stuff he usually bought, the only bottles he could afford, but this was something more. The flavors exploded on his tongue, it was strong but delicious.

“Not after the morning you’ve had,” Hannibal offered.

“Alcohol never solves anything,” Will said before raising the glass to his lips again, this time just taking a small sip. Might as well savor it while he could.

“It makes some things bearable at least.”

“Barely.”

Hannibal left Will to his thoughts and went back to preparing the meal.

It was the smell of cooking meat that finally turned Will back to face Hannibal.

The food both looked and smelled delicious, Will suddenly felt extremely out of place.

“Will, could you be so kind as to pick a few herbs from the window, please?” Hannibal glanced behind him to the small window above the basin, then he looked back to the food cooking on the stove in front of him.

“What ones do you want?”

“You choose.”

Will didn’t move from his spot on the other side of the room, the safe side. If he didn’t feel out of place before, he certainly did now.

“But I don’t know what they are,” His voice was soft, but Hannibal was not moved.

“You can smell this can’t you?” Hannibal gave the sizzling meat a stir.

“It smells amazing,” Will said automatically. The hint of a smile twitched on Hannibal’s lips again.

“Yes, now smell the herbs and choose what you think would go best.”

Will didn’t want to ask how he would know that, it was obvious that he just needed to use his best judgement and choose the proper one. It wasn’t really a good time to point out that he didn’t trust his best judgement sometimes. He didn’t usually have to think this much when he prepared food for himself. This whole scenario required a thought process he was altogether unfamiliar with.

The unknown scares everyone, but his fear of it was not something he wanted to admit to, especially to a stranger. Even if Will did get the distinct feeling that Hannibal would not mind. It was another unknown and it was one he not ready to discover.

He carefully made his way over to the window and started to examine the small green plants, choosing for now, to keep his fears to himself.

Hannibal remained patient while Will carefully examined the various plants like his life depended on it. It was of little importance what herb he ended up picking. It wasn’t a test and Hannibal knew that the flavors he was working on would stand up to just about anything Will could choose. That wasn’t the point though, the food didn’t matter.

Hannibal was giving him a choice. This was about giving Will some control. It was important that he had some choices when so much of what his body wanted left him so little of them. Hannibal had learned this many years ago. He would give Will the choices he could, the ones he hadn’t had. Hannibal hoped that it would help to make the choices Will didn’t have easier to bear.

When Will spoke again, his voice was steady.

“Do you want these chopped?” Will had made his decision.

“Please,” Hannibal said and Will went to work, more confident in his task.

Hannibal, his back to Will, grinned.

It did not take much longer to Hannibal to finish and the two of them moved to the table with their plates of food, Hannibal poured them each more wine and they both started to eat.

Will was making a strange face. Hannibal had the surprising urge to burst out laughing. Instead, he wanted to understand it. He could laugh later, maybe much later, with the man beside him to laugh with.

“You don’t like it?” Hannibal asked. He could only hold back so much, he had to at least put the younger man on the spot. It wasn’t somewhere Will liked to be, that much was obvious. But it was just them and the more time that passed the more relaxed Will seemed to become.

Will took a drink of wine before he looked up from the food on his plate. Despite his obvious misgivings about the meal, Will had already finished half of it. Hannibal found that he liked that.

“Umm… I think I like it?” Will said, and Hannibal smiled again, he couldn’t help himself. Will looked back to the food in front of him quickly and took another bite.

“You are not familiar with the flavors. It’s the first time you are experiencing them, you are having a war with your senses to find out if you like it or not.” Hannibal said.

“Eating for me usually isn’t this interesting,” Will said, taking another bite.

“Some flavors are an acquired taste, don’t worry about offending me.”

Will seemed to consider it a moment, and then he gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

“I would eat it again,” He said, before taking another bite.

“So would I.”

Hannibal couldn’t stop himself from glancing at Will to catch the different expressions on his face as he continued to eat the food in front of him. And when the meal was over he looked like he could eat more. It was clear that he rarely ate enough, Hannibal wanted to change that. Hannibal left briefly and set down a fresh plate in front of Will.

“Thank you,” Will said politely before he started eating again. Apparently it didn’t take long to acquire the taste for this particular dish. Hannibal knew he would like it.

“Are you really serious about helping to catch this beast?” Will asked, a few mouthfuls later.

“I am,” Hannibal replied. He had finished his meal and was sipping his wine.

“Why?” Will asked. It was something that he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about, especially right this second. Doing something so menial as eating a meal together, granted it was delicious, it didn’t really sit well when compared to the scene they had recently come from.

“Because I can,” Hannibal said simply, “You don’t trust that, do you?”

Will just looked at him.

“I don’t blame you for that, I wouldn’t either,” Hannibal said, and refilled both his and Will’s glass.

“Then why should I?” Will asked flatly.

“You’ve trusted me this far. I don’t think you often dine with others. Thank you for coming to breakfast,” Hannibal said softly and Will looked back to his now empty second plate.

“Thank you for having me,” He said in response. He reached for his wine and as he brought it to his lips there was a noise upstairs. A dull thud. Will was instantly tense again.

“Do you live with someone?” Will asked. He put his glass down and straightened in his seat. He resisted the urge to stand. He looked to Hannibal. The older man looked vaguely annoyed for the briefest of moments before he looked perfectly pleasant and at ease once again.

“I  have a niece who likes to drop by unannounced from time to time. Please, excuse me a moment,” Hannibal stood up and made for the set of spiral stairs.

“Of course,” Will said quickly, and he forced himself to relax, though his cheeks reddened the moment he looked down at the empty plates in front of him.

“I-I hope there is enough food left for her to have breakfast,” Will said softly.

“Not to worry, Will. I’m sure that she has already eaten.”


	7. Chapter 7

She knew immediately that she wasn’t alone in the small two story house. The smell wafting up from  the first floor, along with the heat in the room, it was obvious that Hannibal was cooking again. It wasn’t until she paid more attention, and really listened, listened to the sound of two plates and two mouths. Hannibal wasn’t dining alone. It was a surprise, especially under the circumstances.

She didn’t know why Hannibal was entertaining, not when she had recently soaked the square with blood. The streets were crowded, full of people who reeked of fear. If he hadn’t been out looking for her, hunting her perhaps… she expected to find him here, in her room, waiting. Not downstairs having breakfast with an unexpected guest. It just proved to her again that she couldn’t predict his actions.

She closed the window behind her and the result was silence for a brief second. The soft thud of the window hitting the sill had alerted them to her presence.

Would he punish her? She didn’t know. He made his apologies to whoever was fortunate enough to be at his dinner table, and he started to ascend the stairs. Ready or not, she was about to find out.

“Hello, Anna, what a pleasant surprise. I have company downstairs,” He said to her quietly. He was being careful. It was clear that Hannibal didn’t want whoever it was downstairs to know who she really was. It felt like something dark was curling up in her stomach. How much trouble had she brought to his door?

He did seem calm though, content, even if a bit annoyed. It helped her to keep control. It would be very rude if she lost her shape now. There was no need for her to, she had done nothing wrong, not really.

“Hi Uncle, I didn’t mean to interrupt, is it anyone I know?” She said, her voice pleasant.

Hannibal walked toward her and shook his head.

“No, but you will, just not now,” He said the last three words much quieter, barely a whisper in her enhanced ears. She clued in then and she knew Hannibal could read it on her face .

Whoever it was downstairs, it was someone worth knowing. With Hannibal that could mean one of two things, but it didn’t really matter which. They would show their true selves either way. It could not be so bad then if the person that she had possibly lead back to Hannibal was like them. Could it? Hannibal didn’t seem angry, but it wasn’t enough for her to believe she was off the hook completely.

She decided to give him an out.

“I was just stopping by for a cloak, I will leave you to it then,” She pulled on the tunic that had been draped over the back of a chair and walked over to the closet to grab a clean cloak. There was no sign of the ones she was replacing. She could be as careful as she was reckless when she wanted to be.

“I’ll see you at dinner. You’ll be good until then?” He asked, sounding for a moment, genuinely concerned. Even though she could never quite be sure if he was being sincere, it was how Abigail knew she had been forgiven. She also had a feeling that the stranger downstairs had something to do with that forgiveness. There were strings attached… and she couldn’t risk breaking those strings, at least not until she knew exactly what they were and how they worked. Exactly like she had been taught.

“See you at dinner, Uncle,” She nodded and smiled slightly before she ducked back out the window and started East. She was headed for the busy square, soon full of people for the midday market. It was time for another adventure.

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“She doesn’t want to come down?” Will asked as Hannibal reached the bottom of the stairs. Will was in the kitchen and Hannibal felt amusement at the sight. Will had decided to clean the dishes, but he was wearing his cloak already and he was having trouble keeping it dry.

“She had somewhere else to be I’m afraid, you will meet her next time I’m sure.”

Hannibal joined Will in the cleaning and soon Will was back at the front window, looking out at the day that was becoming more and more alive. Hannibal finished wiping down the counter and joined Will at the window.

“I should go, I’m sure Jack is waiting for me by now,” Will said, he sounded reluctant even though he looked anxious to go. He kept fussing with his cloak.

“I will accompany you, I offered my services after all,” Hannibal said quickly and he grabbed his cloak from it’s hook by the door. Will adjusted his, again, and Hannibal suspected that the dishes were the only thing that had stopped Will from leaving while he was upstairs. Hannibal wasn’t about to let him out of his sight now.

“I’m not sure how much you can help,” Will said, his voice void of emotion and Hannibal knew it wasn’t because he wasn’t feeling any. He had more emotions than most, some that Hannibal didn’t understand at all, and perhaps never would. Something about Will made Hannibal want to try.

“If nothing else I can add a new perspective on things, trust me on that,” Hannibal said. He thought for a moment he could see a ghost of a smile on the younger man’s face. They had already spoken of trust. Hannibal knew where Will stood on that one.

Words would not he enough for him, but words were never enough for anyone.


End file.
